1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to baitcasting reels, and more particularly to a baitcasting reel having a centrifugal brake. The centrifugal brake includes contact pieces displaceable radially of a spool rotatable about its axis or a member rotatable with the spool, and an annular braking member disposed coaxially of the spool and outwardly of a locus of revolution of the contact pieces.
2. Description of the Related Art
A known centrifugal brake as constructed above is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 30(1955)-8116, for example. This centrifugal brake includes rods extending radially of a spool shaft rotatable with a spool, collars (braking pieces) slidably mounted on the rods, respectively, and an annular braking member secured to a reel body. When the spool rotates, the collars move under a centrifugal force into pressure contact with the inner peripheral wall of the braking member, thereby to apply a braking force to the spool rotation.
Baitcasting reels today employ centrifugal brakes having basically the same construction as the above prior art brake. The collars are formed of plastic, while the braking member is formed of metal. Some baitcasting reels commerically available today employ centrifugal brakes whose braking force is adjustable by changing the collars.
In a sequence of assembling a baitcasting reel having the conventional brake construction, the collars are fitted on the rods revolvable with rotation of the spool shaft, and thereafter the braking member is placed peripherally of the collars by moving the spool and braking member toward each other.
The collars in this type of brake are relatively small, and outer ends of the rods are disposed close to the inner peripheral wall of the braking member. Consequently, the assembly process noted above sometimes fails to produce a desired result, owing to contact between the rods and braking member or between the collars and braking member occurring when the braking member or spool is moved axially of the spool shaft.
If the collars protrude from the outer ends of the rods during assembly, the collars will contact the braking member even if the components supporting the collars and the component supporting the braking member are placed in a proper relative relationship. This will make it impossible to move the braking member and spool to predetermined positions. Thus, the braking member and spool are moved to the predetermined positions after the collars are pushed in with fingers.
In some reel constructions, a side case is removable from the reel body to allow change of the collars. This side case supports the braking member, while the reel body supports the spool and collars. For the same reason as noted above, the collars protruding from the outer ends of the rods may be obstructive to a case attaching operation and insertion of the spool. There is room for improvement.